Timing apparatus for use with photographic equipment



Oct. 31, 1967 A, TROLIQ ET.AL 3,350,716

. TIMING- APPARATUS FOR USE WITH PHOTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT FiledApril 9, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 mukbxw 5:23

KDORDQ INVENTORS ANDREW C TROLIO BOYCE M.

ADAMS EDWARD G. BUSCH ATTORNEYS- 9v mm W I 3 R m xokwibmo 89 QEYHGMQ o9 qskqfibws 8:, 2B 9 mo Q9 wqu Q9 Qwwioqmuiw 3.3 BS2355 x33 wumfiw am, M,

Oct. 31,196?

A.. C. TROLIO ET AL TIMING APPARATUS FOR USE WITH PHOTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT 2 Sheets Filed April 9, 1965 Sheet 2 uww Sol INVENTORS ANDREW C. TROLIO BOYCE M. ADAMS ED ARD c. BUSCH ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent O 3,350,716 TIMING APPARATUS FOR USE WITH PHOTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT Andrew C. Trolio, Broomall, Pa., Boyce M. 'Adams, Moorestown, Square, Pa., assignors to AdtrolElectronics, Inc., Philadelpliia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Apr. 9, 1965. Ser. No. 447,005

7 Claims. (Cl.-346.-23)

In general, this invention. relates to a new and improved timing apparatus and method for utilization with. photographic equipment. More particularly, it relates to the utilization of a timing generator to mark film length in a manner whereby the elapsed time of events recorded on the film may be accurately determined.

In typical correlation studies of film it is necessary to determine the elapsed time from a given reference point. In the past, this has been achieved by placing a mark at spaced intervals along the length of the film adjacent the edge thereof. However, where thousands of marks on one film-run are involved, correlation can be an extremely tedious task.

Thus, the present invention is directed to a method of marking film along the length thereof which will substantially ease the correlation process and, further, is directed to a new and novel apparatus for performing the method.

Thus,.it is the general object of this invention to provide a new and better apparatus for marking photographic film along the length thereof with an indication of the elapsed time on the film from a given reference point.

Another object of this invention is a provision of a new and better method for marking photographic film along the length thereof which will enable a person performing the correlation process to simply and easily determine the elapsed time on film relative to a given reference point.

A further object of this inevntion is a provision of a new and better timing generator for producing accurately spaced pulses with suitable additional pulses to indicateevery tenth and every one hundredth pulse without affecting the spacing of' the single pulses.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings a form which is presently preferred; it being understood, however that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities. shown.

FIG. 1 is a schematic showing of the apparatus of thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic circuit diagram for the timing pulse generator of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a graph showing the operation of the circuit of FIGS. 1 and 2.

InFIG. 1, there is shown a timing pulse generator generally designated by the numeral which is operative for utilization with a unique technique to reduce the human counting error as well as to alleviate the tedium in measuring the time on a film-run from a known reference point.

That is, unexposed motion picture film 12 is normally marked along one edge thereof by a neon bulb: assembly 14 which places a line mark along. the edge of the film 121 by reason of the slot type mask face 16. in. the. neon bulb assembly 14. In. typical correlation studies of films, the standard timing marks (basic frequencies of 10, 100, and 1000- pulses per second) must be counted from a known reference point. Where thousands of marks on one film-run are involved, the time correlatiom it will be understood, can, be extremely tedious.

The timing pulse generator 10 of the present invention units of 10' and 100.

N.J., and Edward G. Busch,.l Iewtown 5 ,In FIG. 1, there is shown a basic one kilocycle oscillator 18 which is the source of one kilocycle timing pulses. Thisoscillator indirectly locks a 100 cycle per second oscillator 20 through a 100 microsecond delay circuit 22. The one kilocycle oscillator 18 is also connected to an OR circuit 24. The OR'circuit 24 is connected through one terminal 50 of a switch 26 to an output driver circuit 28. The output driver circuit 28 is operatively connected to drive the neon bulb assembly 14. Accordingly, it can be seen that with the pointer for the switch 26 on the terminal 50, the output pulses from one kilocycle oscillator 18 are operatively supplied directly to the neon bulb assembly 14.

The one hundred cycle per second oscillator 20 is also connected to the input of, the OR circuit 24 as well as to .a second OR circuit 30.. The second OR circuit 30 is connected to the one hundred cycle per second terminal 106 of the switch 26.

Additionally, the one hundred cycle per second oscillator 20 is further connected to a second delay circuit 32 whose output signal drives a ten cycle per second oscillator 34. The delay circuit 32 has a switch 36 connected thereto which is operative to change the time constant of the delay circuit 32 to vary the time switch 36 is in the one kilocycle position of terminalv as shown in FIG. 1, only capacitor 38 controls the delay circuit 32 and accordingly, the delay circuit 32 has a time delay of microseconds, similar to the delay circuit 22. However, when the switch 36 is in the one hundred cycle per second or ten cycle per second posit-ions, i.e. terminals 92 and 94 respectively, a second capacitor 40 is placed in parallel circuit relation with the capacitor 38 changing the delay or circuit 32 to 1000 microseconds.

The ten cycle per second oscillator 34 is connected to the OR circuits 24 and 30 as well as to the ten cycle per second terminal of switch 26. Switch 26 is me hundred microseconds later, the one hundred cycle per.

second oscillator 20 transmits a pulse through the OR circuit 24, switch 26,, and output driver 28 to the neon bulb 14 to produce a second line on the film 12 spaced, in time, 100' microseconds from the first line. Still another 100 microseconds thereafter, the synchronized ten cycle per second oscillator 34 will be energized through the delay circuit 32 to provide a third pulse transmitted through the OR circuit 24,, switch 26, and output driver 28 tothe neon bulb 14. These are the first three pulses shown in FIG. 3. Then, the one kilocycle oscillator 18 will' provide a pulse spaced in time .001 second from the first pulse. This will continue until 10 pulses. have been supplied by the one. kilocycle oscillator 18. Then, after the tenth pulse the second pulse from the 100 cycle per second oscillator 20 will be transmitted (with a suitable 100 microseconds delay) to the OR circuit 24.

Accordingly,.every one thousandth of a second the oscillator 18 will provide a pulse which will be recorded on the film 121. Every one hundredth of a second, or every 10 pulses from. the oscillator 18 there will be provided a double pulse achieved by the two oscillators 18 and 20.

Patented Oct. 31, 1967 delay thereof. That is, when the I Every 100 pulses from the oscillator 18, three pulses will be provided, one for the oscillator 18, one for the oscillator 20, and one for the oscillator 34. The oscillator 20 is indirectly locked to the oscillator 18 by reason of the delay circuit 22 and the oscillator 34 is indirectly locked to the oscillator 20 by the delay circuit 32.

When the switches 26 and 36 have their contactors positioned on the one hundred cycle per second terminals 106 and 92 respectively, only the output signals from oscillators 20 and 34 are supplied to the output driver 28. Thus, the one hundred cycle per second marks would be combined with delayed ten cycle per second marks to form double pulses every tenth one hundred cycle mark. To resolve the double mark more readily at the slow mark rate, the ten cycle per second delay circuit 32 is operative to delay the signal 1000 microseconds rather than the 100 microseconds provided when the switches were in the one kilocycle position.

It will be understood that in utilizing the teaching of the present invention one would operate the timing pulse generator to produce the marks on the film 12, which, after development, could be easily timed and correlated by merely checking the number of three pulse groupings from a given reference point and, then, checking the number of two pulse groupings to get the ten digit and, finally, the number of single pulses past the last two pulse grouping to determine the exact position on the film. This is far simpler than counting single pulses along the length of the film as has been required by prior art devices.

In FIG. 2, the circuit diagram for the timing pulse generator 10 of FIG. 1 is shown in detail. That is, the timing pulse generator 10 includes the stable one kilocycle oscillator 18 which includes a unijunction transistor 42 placed in a relaxation oscillator circuit, whose frequency is determined by resistors 41 and 44 and capacitor 46. This stable oscillator 18 produces positive pulses on the first base spaced in time by .001 second. Positive pulses are taken off the first base of unijunction transistor 42 and supplied through a diode 48 to the one kilocycle terminal 50 of a first section 102 of gang switch 26. Terminal 50 is connected through a resistor 52 to the base circuit of a transistor amplifier 54. The first base of unijunction transistor 42 is further connected to two opened terminals 56 and 58 (the latter through diodes 60 and 62) of switch 26. Still further, the first base of unijunction transistor 42 transmits its output pulses to the time delay circuit 22 which circuit includes an initial shaping circuit formed of capacitor 64 and resistor 66, which circuit shapes the input positive pulses and transmits them through a diode 68 to the base of a first transistor 70 forming part of the one-shot multivibrator circuit 72 which acts as the delay circuit 32. The one-shot multivibrator 72 includes transistors 70 and 74 and has its time constant determined by capacitor 76 and resistor 78. As was discussed previously, the capacitor 76 and the resistor 78 are set to provide a 100 microsecond delay in transmission of the pulse from the first base of output 42 to the 100 cycle per second oscillator circuit 20. The oscillator includes a unijunction transistor 80 arranged to operate in an unsynchronized manner at a frequency a fraction of a percent slower than 100 cycles per second. However, the synchronizing pulses from the output of transistor 70 forces it to run slightly faster. These synchronizing pulses are fed to the firing terminal of unijunction transistor 80 through a capacitor 82 and resistor 84 into the principal timing capacitor 86. Every tenth synchronizing pulse from the one-shot multivibrator circuit 72 causes an output pulse from the one hundred cycle per second oscillator 20.

The time delay circuit 32 comprises a second one-shot multivibrator 85 including transistors 86 and 88 and timing capacitor 38. The second timing capacitor 40 is placed in the circuit by the switch 26. As shown, the capacitor 40 is not in the circuit when the contactor is on the one kilocycle terminal 90, but is placed in'paralleled circuit relation when the contactor is connected to the one hundred cycle per second or ten cycle per second terminals 92 and 94. The one-shot multivibrator 84 drives the ten cycle per second oscillator 96 through the timing capacitor 98.

One hundred cycle per second oscillator 20 is connected through diode 100 to the terminal 50 of switch bank 102; through diode 104 to one hundred kilocycle terminal 106 of which bank 102; and through diode 60 to the ten cycle per second terminal 58 of a second bank of switches 108 forming part of the switch 26.

The output of the ten cycle per second oscillator 34 is connected to the ten cycle per second terminal 110 of the switch bank 102. Further, terminal 110 is connected to terminal 106 by way of a forwardly biased diode 112. Similarly, ten cycle per second terminal 110 is connected to the one kilocycle terminal 50 by way of a forwardly biased diode 114.

It can thus be seen that the diodes 48, 100, and 114 in combination with the switch 102 from the OR circuit 24. That is, pulses from the oscillator 18 are fed through diode 48 to terminal 50; pulses from oscillator 20 are fed through diode 100 to terminal 50; and pulses from oscillator 34 are fed through diode 114 to the terminal 50. When switch 102 is changed to close the circuit to 100 kilocycle terminal 106, the OR circuit 30 is achieved in that the output of oscillator 18 is grounded through terminal 56 of switch 108 and its associated grounding resistor 116. However, the output of oscillator 20 is fed through diode 104 to terminal 106 and, further, the output of oscillator 34 is supplied to the terminal 106 through diode 112. It should be noted that diode 62 prevents the grounding of oscillator 20. When the switch 26 is connected merely to the ten cycle per second terminals 110, 58 and 94, the oscillators 18 and 20 will not supply signals to the output driver circuit, but rather will transmit their output signals through the grounding resistor 116.

However, the output of oscillator 34 will be supplied to the output driver circuit. The output driver circuit consists of amplifier 118 which includes transistors 54 and 120 with an output transformer 122 in the collector circuit of transistor 120. An indicator lamp 124 is placed across the output terminals of transformer 122 so as to indicate to the user that the apparatus 10 is operative. The output of the transformer 122 is supplied to terminal 126 which is adapted to be connected to the neon bulb 14.

It can thus be seen that the output driver circuit 118 will supply pulses from the oscillators in accordance with the position of the switch 26 in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed as the invention is:

1. Timing apparatus comprising a first source of constant frequency pulse signals, a second source of constant frequency pulse signals synchronized with said first source, said second frequency being an aliquot part of said first frequency, output means for receiving the output signals of said first and second sources and providing an output signal in accordance therewith, first delay means for delaying the output pulse signals from second source for a period less than the period between pulse signals from said first source so that said signals from said first and said second source are spaced in time, and film marking means for marking a moving photographic film each time an output signal is generated by said output means so that the marks on said film are never overlapping.

2. The timing apparatus of claim 1 wherein said marking means is a neon bulb and an adjacent mask positioned whereby light from said neon bulb can expose a small portion of photographic film through said mask.

3. Timing apparatus comprising a first source of constant frequency pulse signals, a second source of constant frequency pulse signals synchronized with said first source, said second frequency being an aliquot part of said first frequency, a third source of constant frequency pulse signals synchronized with said first source, said third frequency being an aliquot part of said second frequency, output means for receiving the output signals of said first, second and third sources and providing an output signal in accordance therewith, first delay means for delaying the output pulse signals from said second source for a period less than the period between pulse signals from said first source, a second delay means for delaying the application of said third source to said output means by a period greater than the delay period of said first delay means and less than the period between pulse signals from said first source and film marking means for marking a moving photographic film in accordance with the output signal from said output means.

4. The timing apparatus of claim 3 wherein the ratio of the frequency of the first source to the frequency of the second source is equal to the ratio of the frequency of the second source to the frequency of the third source.

5. The timing apparatus of claim 4 including switching means, said switching means being operative to disconnect one of said first source and said first and second sources from said output means whereby said marking means may be supplied with signals only from said second and third or said third source of pulse signals.

6. The timing apparatus of claim 5 including means for varying the time delay of said second delay means in accordance with the operation of said switching means.

7. The timing apparatus of claim 3 wherein said first delay means is connected between the output of said first source and the input to said second source and said second delay means is connected between the output of said second source and the input of said third source.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,458,882 1/ 1949 Stoner et a1 346-107 2,496,392 2/ 1950 Hasbrook 346-23 2,952,504 9/1960 Path 346107 RICHARD B. WILKINSON, Primary Examiner. J. W. HARTARY, Assistant Examiner. 

1. TIMING APPARATUS COMPRISING A FIRST SOURCE OF CONSTANT FREQUENCY PULSE SIGNALS, A SECOND SOURCE OF CONSTANT FREQUENCY PULSE SIGNALS SYNCHRONIZED WITH SAID FIRST SOURCE, SAID SECOND FREQUENCY BEING AN ALIQUOT PART OF SAID FIRST FREQUENCY, OUTPUT MEANS FOR RECEIVING THE OUTPUT SIGNALS OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND SOURCES AND PROVIDING AN OUTPUT SIGNAL IN ACCORDANCE THEREWITH, FIRST DELAY MEANS FOR DELAYING THE OUTPUT PULSE SIGNALS FROM SECOND SOURCE FOR A PERIOD LESS THAN THE PERIOD BETWEEN PULSE SIGNALS FROM SAID FIRST SOURCE SO THAT SAID SIGNALS FROM SAID FIRST AND SAID SECOND SOURCE ARE SPACED IN TIME, AND FILM MARKING MEANS FOR MARKING A MOVING PHOTOGRAPHIC FILM EACH TIME AN OUTPUT SIGNAL IS GENERATED BY SAID OUTPUT MEANS SO THAT THE MARKS ON SAID FILM ARE NEVER OVERLAPPING. 